5th Sunday of Lent

First reading

Jeremiah 31:31-34

I will write my Law in their hearts

See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah), but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of mine, so I had to show them who was master. It is the Lord who speaks. No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest – it is the Lord who speaks – since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 50(51):3-4,12-15

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence.O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

Give me again the joy of your help; with a spirit of fervour sustain me,that I may teach transgressors your ways and sinners may return to you.

Second reading

Hebrews 5:7-9

He learned to obey and he became the source of eternal salvation

During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.

Gospel

John 12:20-33

If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it yields a rich harvest

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them:‘Now the hour has comefor the Son of Man to be glorified.I tell you, most solemnly,unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,it remains only a single grain;but if it dies,it yields a rich harvest.Anyone who loves his life loses it;anyone who hates his life in this worldwill keep it for the eternal life.If a man serves me, he must follow me,wherever I am, my servant will be there too.If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.Now my soul is troubled.What shall I say:Father, save me from this hour?But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour.Father, glorify your name!’

A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.‘Now sentence is being passed on this world;now the prince of this world is to be overthrown.And when I am lifted up from the earth,I shall draw all men to myself.’

Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First reading

2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16

The Lord will give him the throne of his ancestor David

The word of the Lord came to Nathan:‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 88(89):2-5,27,29

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:I will establish your dynasty for ever and set up your throne through all ages.

‘He will say to me: “You are my father, my God, the rock who saves me.”I will keep my love for him always; with him my covenant shall last.’

Second reading

Romans 4:13,16-18,22

Abraham hoped, and he believed

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’

Gospel

Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

How Jesus Christ came to be born

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.